Tagged: Rights Holder

I come back to you again with part IV of my plan to cover online copyright enforcement procedures throughout the world—this time North and Central America. Although several Central American countries agreed to adopt notice and takedown procedures under the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA; U.S., Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua), such countries are at varying levels of adopting such provisions.

Determining whether owners or rights holders of a copyright-protected work (collectively, “Rights Holders”) can enforce rights in their work online and abroad depends on multiple factors. This includes: (1) whether a work qualifies for foreign protection (aka national treatment) under the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (Berne Convention) and/or the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS); (2) whether the Internet service provider (ISP) hosting the infringing use of the work is subject to jurisdiction in the country where online enforcement is sought; and (3) what online copyright enforcement procedures are available in the country of enforcement.

Each of these issues have been previously examined here and those with further questions should consult with a qualified attorney.

Below are the current online copyright enforcement procedures in each North and Central American country. However, a couple of preliminary notes:

Classifications: A North and Central American country that maintains legal protocols for a Rights Holder to directly petition an ISP to remove infringing content in order for the ISP to qualify for safe harbor protection from contributory liability for copyright infringement is identified below as a “Notice and Takedown System” country. A country that maintain systems that simply require ISPs to notify infringing subscribers of their allegedly infringing acts without removal requirements for safe harbor protection are identified as a “Notice and Notice System” country. A country that does not provide legal provisions for a Rights Holder to directly enforce their copyright protections through an ISP notification system, and are instead forced to seek copyright enforcement through that country’s judicial system are referred to as a “Judicial System” country.

Notice Limitations: Unfortunately, even if a country listed below maintains a Notice and Takedown System, an ISP may still refuse to disable access to an allegedly infringing website or website content upon receipt of a Rights Holder’s infringement notice. In such instances, a Rights Holder may be forced to seek enforcement through that foreign country’s legal system in order to remove such online content.

Time Sensitivity: As several of the listed countries in this posting are evaluating or are in the process of implementing copyright reforms, either through legislation or judicial action, there is the possibility that the following online copyright enforcement information may soon change.

United States

Enforcement System: Notice and Takedown System

Berne Convention Member: Yes

Overview and Notes: The Digital Millennium Copyright Act establishes the notice and takedown procedure for a Rights Holder to inform ISPs of infringing content. Once a ISP has received a Rights Holder’s notice, an ISP has to prevent access to such infringing content in order to qualify for safe harbor protection from contributory copyright infringement. The U.S. has pushed for such requirements to be implemented in a number of countries to whom its has concluded free trade agreements (FTAs) including Australia, Colombia, Peru, DR-CAFTA, and others.

-Identification of the copyrighted work(s) claimed to have been infringed;
-Identification of the online material that is claimed to be infringing and wished to be removed or disabled, including any reasonable information that would allow an ISP to locate the material (i.e. website addresses);
-Information reasonably sufficient to permit the ISP to contact the Rights Holder (address, telephone number, e-mail, etc.);
-A statement that the Rights Holder has a good faith belief that the use of their content in the identified online material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law;
-A statement that the information provided in the notice is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that the Rights Holder is authorized to act on behalf of the Rights Holder of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed; and
-A Rights Holder’s physical or electronic signature.

Belize

Enforcement System: Judicial System

Berne Convention Member: Yes

Overview and Notes: Belize does not currently provide any legal incentives or procedures for ISPs to remove hosted infringing content upon notice from Rights Holders.

Overview and Notes: Canada adopted the Copyright Modernization Act in June 2012, which included a formal notice and notice system. Although the adoption of such a system provides some means for Rights Holders to directly enforce rights in their works, the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) had questioned whether Canada’s notice and notice system provides sufficient legal incentives for Canada-based ISPs to removing infringing content upon request, and ultimately whether it is an effective means for Rights Holders to directly enforce rights in their works.

-Must be in writing;
-The Rights Holder’s name, address and other relevant communication information;-Identify the work or other subject-matter to which the claimed infringement relates;-State the Rights Holder’s interest or right to the work or other subject-matter;-Specify the online location where the claimed infringement occurs;-Specify the claimed infringement;-Specify the date and time of the claimed infringement; and-Provide any other information or as provided by other Canadian regulations.

Costa Rica

Enforcement System: Notice and Notice System (Minimal)

Berne Convention Member: Yes

Overview and Notes: Costa Rica is a DR-CAFTA signatory country, yet it has not fully adopted notice and takedown provisions as provided under Ch. 15, Section 15.11.27(ix) of the agreement. In 2011, Costa Rica adopt notice and notice provisions in Decree No. 36,880 COMEX-JP. However, the IIPA has criticized these legislative reforms as the Decree only mandates that an ISP notify an infringing subscriber of their alleged infringing act upon notice from a Rights Holder, and that such notification only needs to be communicated to the subscriber in question within 45 days of a Rights Holder’s notification to an ISP.

-Expressly and accurately identify the rights allegedly infringed;
-Provide an in-country address or location to receive notifications concerning the notice;-Identify the infringing material and its online location; and-Provide other accurate and timely information to enable the ISP to fully identify the subscriber or supplier of the allegedly infringing material.

El Salvador

Enforcement System: Notice and Takedown System

Berne Convention Member: Yes

Overview and Notes: El Salvador is a DR-CAFTA signatory country, mandating that it adopt notice and takedown provisions detailed under Ch. 15, Section 15.11.27(ix) of the agreement. In 2005, El Salvador passed copyright legislative reforms under Legislative Decree No. 912 that included the adoption of notice and takedown provisions, granting ISPs safe harbor for contributory liability for copyright infringement by acting on a notice of alleged infringement from Rights Holders. However, Decree No. 912 provided no specific notice requirements.

Overview and Notes: Guatemala is a DR-CAFTA signatory country, mandating that it adopt notice and takedown provisions detailed under Ch. 15, Section 15.11.27(ix) of the agreement. However, Guatemala has not passed any legislative reforms to adopt notice and takedown provisions, and it does not currently appear to provide any express legal incentives or procedures for ISPs to remove hosted infringing content upon notification from Rights Holders.

Overview and Notes: Honduras is a DR-CAFTA signatory country, mandating that it adopt notice and takedown provisions detailed under Ch. 15, Section 15.11.27(ix) of the agreement. However, Honduras has not passed any legislative reforms to adopt notice and takedown provisions, and it does not currently appear to provide any express legal incentives or procedures for ISPs to remove hosted infringing content upon notification from Rights Holders.

Overview and Notes: Mexico does not currently appear to provide any legal incentives or procedures for ISPs to remove hosted infringing content upon notification from Rights Holders.

However, Mexico may soon be required to implement notice and takedown provisions or notice and notice provisions if the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is finalized and it includes such provisions as has been proposed.

Overview and Notes: Nicaragua is a DR-CAFTA signatory country, obligating that it adopt notice and takedown provisions mandated under Ch. 15, Section 15.11.27(ix) of the agreement. However, Nicaragua has not passed any legislative reforms to adopt notice and takedown provisions, and it does not currently appear to provide any express legal incentives or procedures for ISPs to remove hosted infringing content upon notification from Rights Holders.

Overview and Notes: Panama ratified a FTA with the U.S. (U.S.-Panama FTA) that mandated under Ch. 15.11, Article 15.11, Section 27(a) of the agreement that Panama adopt “legal incentives for service providers to cooperate with copyright owners in deterring the unauthorized storage and transmission of copyrighted materials.” However, Panama does not appear to have adopted any such “incentives” through a notice and takedown system or a notice and notice system.

Parting Notes: As I have mentioned in previous posts, it is important to note that there are issues to consider after a takedown notice has been submitted. First, an alleged infringer may respond to a Rights Holder notification by submitting a counter notice attesting to their rights in a protected work, even after their online content or website has been blocked or removed. Also, an ISP may refuse to act after a takedown notice has been submitted. If these circumstances arise, one should consider contacting a qualified attorney to discuss further actions. Good luck!

Special thanks to Sara Parker, recent Seattle University School of Law graduate and new member of the Washington State Bar for her assistance.

As part of my ambitious plan to provide you with information on online copyright enforcement procedures through all of the countries in the world, I come to you with part III of my ongoing posting series on national notice and takedown provisions—South America. Although few South American countries have adopted full-fledged notice and takedown provisions as provided in the U.S., Australia, and others, many South American countries have or an in the process of adopting national notice and takedown provisions, either through legislative reforms or judicial action, or have adopted other measures owners or rights holders of copyright protected works (collectively, “Rights Holders”) can use to protect their works online.

However, as I have mentioned in previous posts on this topic, determining whether a Rights Holder can enforce rights in their work online and abroad depends on: (1) whether a work qualifies for foreign protection (aka national treatment) under the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (Berne Convention) or the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS); (2) whether the Internet service provider (ISP) hosting the infringing use of the work is subject to jurisdiction in the country where online enforcement is sought; and (3) what online copyright enforcement procedures are available in the country of enforcement.

Each of these issues have been previously examined here and those with further questions should consult with a qualified attorney.

Below are the current online copyright enforcement procedures in each South American country. However, a couple of preliminary notes:

Classifications: A South American country that maintain legal protocols for a Rights Holder to directly petition an ISP to remove infringing content in order for the ISP to qualify for safe harbor protection from contributory liability for copyright infringement is identified below as a “Notice and Takedown System.” A country that does not provide legal provisions for a Rights Holder to directly enforce their copyright protections through an ISP notification system, and are instead forced to seek copyright enforcement through legal action are referred to as a “Judicial System.”

Notice Limitations: Unfortunately, even if a country maintains a Notice and Takedown System, an ISP may still refuse to disable access to a website or website content upon receipt of a Rights Holder’s infringement notice. In such instances, a Rights Holder may be forced to seek enforcement through that foreign country’s legal system in order to remove such online content.

Time Sensitivity: As several of the listed countries in this posting are evaluating or in the process of implementing copyright reforms, either through legislation or judicial action, there is the possibility that the following information may soon change.

Overview and Notes: Argentina does not currently provide statutory notice and takedown provisions. However, it was reported in June 2014 that the Argentine Supreme Court (Corte Suprema de Justicia de la Nación) heard oral arguments in Rodríguez v. Google Inc., where a lower appellate court had established a ISP safe harbor test where a Rights Holder could “notify [a] search engine, identifying the alleged infringing content” and the “search engine acts expeditiously to block the content via a quick and effective filtering method.” The Argentine Supreme Court has yet to publish a final opinion in Rodríguez, and Argentina’s civil law system makes it unclear whether any such judicial decision will require that all Argentine-based ISPs be subject to notice and takedown provisions upheld in such a decision.

Overview and Notes: Brazil has evaluated notice and takedown reforms, enacted ISP liability legislation, and has even ruled that ISPs are subject to a notice system. However, it is still unclear whether nationwide notice and takedown provisions have been fully established in Brazil. In 2012, the Brazilian government evaluated the Copyright Law Reform Bill (Bill nº 3133/2012), which commentators had reported was to include U.S.-style notice and takedown provisions. However, the Reform Bill has yet to be implemented. In August 2012, the Brazilian Superior Court of Justice held in a special judiciary opinion in Google Brazil (Special Appeal No. 1323754/RJ) that an ISP was required to temporarily remove infringing content 24 hours upon notice of infringement from a Rights Holder in order to retain immunity from from contributory liability for copyright infringement. However, commentators have questioned Google Brazil’s applicability to other Brazilian-based ISPs, requirements for Rights Holder infringement notices, and the duration of an ISP’s removal obligations, based on Brazil’s civil law system.

In May 2014, the Brazilian government enacted the Internet Bill of Rights (Law No. 12.965) that establishes liability for “Internet intermediaries” for failing to timely comply with a judicial takedown order. However, the Internet Bill of Rights provides no direct Rights Holder infringement notice provisions.

Overview and Notes: Chile does not currently possess notice and takedown provisions despite agreeing in the U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to provide “legal incentives for [ISPs] to cooperate with copyright owners in deterring the unauthorized storage and transmission of copyrighted materials.” Chile rejected adopting notice and takedown provisions in its ratification of the U.S.-Chile FTA, as well as in proposed copyright reform legislation in 2010. Instead, Chile implemented an expedited judicial enforcement process where a Rights Holder may submit a judicial petition against a Chilean-based ISP in a Chilean Civil Court to expeditiously evaluate the alleged infringement and obtain an injunctive takedown order.

-The allegedly infringed rights, with a specific indication of the rights and the infringement procedure;
-The infringing material; and
-The location of the infringing material in the ISP’s respective networks or systems.

Colombia

Enforcement System: Judicial System

Berne Convention Member: Yes

Notes and Overview: Despite multiple reform efforts, Colombia does not currently maintain any notice and takedown provisions. Colombia had agreed to adopt notice and takedown provisions in a side letter to the U.S.-Colombia FTA in 2006. However, Colombia has yet to implement such provisions. In 2011, Colombian legislators introduced copyright reforms in Bill No. 201 (aka Ley Lleras 1.0) that included notice and takedown provisions, but it was not enacted. The Colombian Congress subsequently passed similar reform legislation in 2012, Law No. 1520/2012 (aka Ley Lleras 2.0), but such legislation was largely invalidated by the Colombian Constitutional Court in January 2013 on the grounds that such legislation was not properly implemented. Additional proposed copyright reform legislation, Bill No. 306, was circulated for comments in March 2014, but does not include notice and takedown provisions and has yet to be implemented.

Overview and Notes: Ecuador does not currently maintain any notice and takedown provisions. Further, it was reported in December 2013 that the Ecuadorian National Assembly amended its Penal Code and the Intellectual Property Law to decriminalize all IP rights violations, thereby only allowing administrative actions and fines to enforce copyright in works in Ecuador, online or otherwise.

Enforcement System: Notice and Takedown System (*Restricted and Undetermined)

Berne Convention Member: Yes

Overview and Notes: French Guiana is an overseas department of France and is thereby governed by French copyright law. As a European Union (EU) member state, France was required to adopt notice and takedown provisions as provided under Article 14 of the EU Electronic Commerce Directive (Directive 2000/31/EC). However, the EU Directive provides only general recommendations, thereby giving EU member states such as France substantial flexibility to implement their own notice and takedown provisions.

France adopted notice and takedown provisions in its Creation and Internet Law where Rights Holder organizations could submit complaints to France’s online copyright authority, The High Authority for the Dissemination of Works and the Protection of Rights on the Internet (HADOPI), who would then provide notices to online infringers and remove allegedly infringing content under a graduated three-stikes approach. However, it was reported that individual Rights Holders were not allowed submit complaints to HADOPI, as such complaints must be submitted by agents of industry organizations, rights collection agencies, and the French Center of Cinematography.

Further, the French Ministry of Culture revoked the three-strikes approach on July 9, 2013 (Decree No. 2013-596) due to a perceived lack of effectiveness and public concerns that its enforcement measures were overly punitive. However, the Decree did not expressly remove the Creation and Internet Law’s ISP penalties or its notice system. However, as mentioned, the HADOPI notice system, if still in effect, can only be utilized by industry organizations, rights collection agencies, and the French Center of Cinematography on behalf of individual Rights Holders.

-Sworn declaration that the authorized agent of the referral has standing to act in the name of the Rights Holder over the protected work or materials in question;
-Information on the website address(es) and other details of the alleged infringer; and
-Information on the infringing acts including date and time of the acts.

Guyana

Enforcement System: Judicial System

Berne Convention Member: Yes

Overview and Notes: According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, copyright law in Guyana is governed by its former colonizer, the United Kingdom. However, it does not appear that Guyana has adopted notice and take provisions as required by EU member states such as the United Kingdom under Article 14 of the EU Electronic Commerce Directive (Directive 2000/31/EC).

Overview and Notes: Despite multiple reform efforts, Peru does not currently maintain any notice and takedown provisions. Peru had agreed to adopt notice and takedown provisions in a side letter to the U.S.-Peru FTA in 2006, and it did adopt several copyright reforms in 2009 in order to implement its U.S.-Peru FTA obligations. However, such reforms do not appear to include notice and takedown provisions as promised in the U.S.-Peru FTA side letter.

However, Peru may soon be required to implement notice and takedown provisions if the TTP is finalized and the U.S. draft chapter is adopted in a final TPP agreement.

Overview and Notes: Uruguay does not currently maintain any notice and takedown provisions. It is reported that Uruguay is currently considering a number of copyright reforms, yet it does not appear that notice and takedown provisions are included in such reform proposals.

Australia’s Attorney-General’s Department (“AG”) recently opened a public consultation on potential reforms to Australian copyright laws (Copyright Act 1968; “Copyright Act”) that would provide copyright owners and any person or entity possessing rights in copyright protected work(s) (collectively, “Rights Holders”) enhanced cross-border copyright protections. Among multiple reforms detailed in the public consultation discussion paper entitled Online Copyright Infringement (“Paper”), the AG proposed that the Copyright Act be amended to provide a Rights Holder the ability to apply for a Court order to block a foreign-based website from accessing Australia.

Titled Proposal 2 in the Paper (“Proposal”), the proposed amendments would allow a Rights Holder to obtain an Australian Court order against an Internet service provider (“ISP”) hosting an infringing website outside of Australia to block the site from access to Australia if the website’s dominate purpose is to infringe copyright. If enacted, a qualifying Rights Holder could effectively obtain limited Australian judicial protection for their work(s) outside of Australia, or conversely allow a Rights Holder to stem the international reach of a particular infringing website. The Proposal would be particularly useful for enforcement in cases where a Rights Holder wishes to enforce copyright protections in their work(s) against a non-Australian website hosted in a country whose laws or legal system is unwilling or unable to enforce the Rights Holder’s rights.

However, there are a number of issues about the Proposal that Rights Holders need to be aware of:

Legal Assistance Likely Required. A Rights Holder would likely need Australian legal assistance to obtain an order under the Proposal. As mentioned, a Rights Holder wishing to block a non-Australian based website under the Proposal would have to obtain an Australian court order to block the website from Australia. To do so, a Rights Holder would likely have to hire an Australian attorney, and particularly an attorney with intellectual property experience, to obtain such an order. By effectively requiring such legal assistance, seeking enforcement under the Proposal will have financial costs and would likely be more expensive that simply submitting a website take down petition to the ISP hosting the website. However, a Rights Holder’s enforcement options may be limited to judicial action such as that offered under the Proposal if the country where an infringing website is hosted does not possess an effective notice and takedown system.

High Burden of Proof. Rights Holders wishing to utilize the Proposal’s enforcement methods may face a high evidentiary burden to qualify for its protection. As detailed in the Report, in order for an Australian Court to grant an order against an ISP under the Proposal, a Rights Holder needs to establish that the website’s “dominate purpose” is to infringe copyright. Requiring that a Rights Holder establish that a foreign-based website’s dominant purpose is to infringe copyright likely establishes a high evidentiary burden as it requires showing that the site’s main purpose is to infringe copyright instead of merely establishing that the site infringes copyright as provided under most national notice and takedown enforcement systems. Based on this higher evidentiary burden, obtaining an injunctive order under the Proposal will likely be more difficult for a Rights Holder to obtain than a notice takedown. More generally, the Proposal’s evidentiary burden will likely exempt a large number of non-Australian websites that infringe copyright, and would otherwise be subject to enforcement action, simply because their infringing acts do not constitute their “dominate” purpose.

Indemnification and Enforcement Costs. The Proposal would also require that a Rights Holder “meet any reasonable costs associated with an ISP giving effect to an order,” and indemnify an ISP against any damages claimed by a third party against the ISP arising out of the ISP’s enforcement of an order under the Proposal. The financial costs an ISP may have for giving effect to an order under the Proposal is undefined, thereby making it unclear on how much it would cost for a Rights Holder to compensate an ISP for enacting an order under the Proposal.

Further, requiring that a Rights Holder indemnify a foreign ISP, namely provide legal protection for the ISP against any legal action it may face for complying with a Court order under the Proposal, would likely pose substantial risks and possible costs to Rights Holders. If a foreign website owner’s business is harmed when their website is blocked from Australia by an order under the Proposal, the Rights Holder in question will likely have to cover the legal costs and obligations of the ISP in any proceeding brought by the website owner against the ISP as the Proposal does not provide any limits on a Rights Holder’s ISP indemnity obligations. This makes seeking enforcement under the Proposal a riskier option that submitting a takedown notice as most countries’ notice and takedown systems do not generally mandate that a Rights Holder indemnify an ISP for any enforcement action taken by the ISP on behalf of the Right Holder arising out of a takedown notice.

It is Still a Proposal. The Proposal is just that, a proposal. It remains unclear whether the Proposal will be implemented, and if so what additional requirements, costs or obligations a Rights Holder may have in seeking enforcement under its protections.

What’s The Takeaway? If implemented, the Proposal would provide Rights Holders enhanced cross-border copyright enforcement protections by allowing them to prevent the access of foreign-hosted infringing websites into Australia. However, the Proposal has costs and risks that Rights Holders need to seriously consider, especially if cheaper and less risky enforcement options such as takedown notices are available. Further, the ambiguity of the Proposal’s costs and obligations mean that further details about the Proposal is needed in order to determine what particular costs and obligations Rights Holders will have in seeking enforcement under the Proposal.

On a side note, those who are interested in providing comments on the Proposal or other proposals in the Paper may submit comments to the AG (instructions here) before September 1, 2014.